5 Tips for teaching science with Flocabulary

In the dynamic landscape of teaching science instruction, fostering an engaging and effective learning process is paramount. As educators, we constantly seek innovative tools to enhance students’ understanding of scientific principles and their application in real-world scenarios. Enter Flocabulary: a powerhouse resource that infuses the rhythm of hip-hop with vocabulary, comprehension, and literacy. Tailored for elementary, middle, and high school science students, Flocabulary’s science content spans earth science, life science, physics, chemistry, and technology & engineering, offering a multifaceted approach to learning science. Aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and state standards, Flocabulary seamlessly integrates into the curriculum, enriching the learning experience and empowering students to delve into the depths of scientific inquiry.

New to Flocabulary? Teachers can sign up for a trial to access our lesson videos and assessment activities. Administrators can get in touch with us to learn more about unlocking the full power of Flocabulary through Flocabulary Plus.

5 Tips for teaching science with Flocabulary

1. Introduce and reinforce science topics

Flocabulary has science video-based lessons that are standards-aligned and research-based, and accompanied by activities that are sequenced to build high-order thinking. These rigorous yet fun lessons challenge students to be critical, creative, and curious. Flocabulary science lessons cover topics such as life science, earth and space science, physical science, technology and engineering, and scientific practices. Use these video-based lessons for teaching science to introduce, review, or reinforce new science topics.

2. Connect science with current events

The Week in Rap often includes science news. Preview The Week in Rap video each week to see if it includes a story you’d like to share. You can also get more proactive with your science news: each week, ask students to find a news story related to science and set aside time to share it with the lass. Bonus points if it relates to a current topic you’re studying!

The Week in Rap is available for grades 6-12 and The Week in Rap Junior is available for grades 3-5 with Flocabulary’s signature hip-hop video and supporting activities like the Vocab Game, Vocab Cards, Quiz, and Lyric Lab.

3. Relate the scientific method to everyday life

Best practices in science instruction include having students practice the scientific method through creating an experiment relevant to their daily lives. In this activity students will define the steps of the scientific method and use it to create an experiment, demonstrating mastery of the scientific process through the lesson.

Students can start by watching Flocabulary’s Scientific Method video. Students should pay particular attention to the hook of the video, which lays out the steps of the scientific method. After, review the scientific method steps as a class. When the video is complete students learn further through Lyric Notes for more information.

Students can use the steps of the scientific method to answer many questions in everyday life. If they can ask the question, they can apply the scientific method to answer it. As a class, choose one of the questions from the list below – feel free to add your own! Discuss how you would use the scientific method to answer the question.

List of everyday questions to test scientifically:

• What is the fastest route from my house to school?
• What breakfast gives you the most energy in PE class?
• What is the most popular lunch option in the cafeteria?
• What type of joke makes my little brother laugh the most?
• What annoys my best friend the most?
• What time of day do I feel most awake?
• What is the best baseball team in the league?
• When is the best time to go to the grocery store to avoid lines?

Ask students to design their own experiment to answer a question from their list. Their experiment outline should include the question, hypothesis, experiment summary, the analysis of results, a conclusion to show whether the hypothesis was correct, and a discussion with the class to communicate the results as the last step of the scientific method.

4. Bring literacy and informational texts into science instruction

We know teachers are always looking for ways to bring literacy into every curriculum area through informational texts. Grade-level informational texts can sometimes be difficult to find in some subject areas. With Flocabulary, every lesson in every subject area includes a Read & Respond activity which increases students’ science vocabulary exposure for that lesson. In Read & Respond students read an informational text about the lesson topic and respond to questions about the text. This activity is great for simulating what standardized tests look like and having students practice comprehension of informational texts regularly.

5. Connect science to historical science figures

With Flocabulary’s K-12 standards-aligned lessons, science teachers can create cross-curricular lessons by bringing in social studies and ELA into any lesson. Flocabulary’s collection of historical figures include many historical science figures students could research.

Check out a few of our favorite high-quality lesson plan videos for supporting students:

• Marie Curie & Determination
• José Hernández
• Katherine Johnson & the Human Computers
• George Washington Carver & Innovation
• Thomas Edison & Grit

Start using Flocabulary for teaching science

In the journey of science education, the integration of innovative tools like Flocabulary transcends traditional methods, paving the way for an immersive and dynamic learning experience. By embracing the fusion of music and science, educators ignite a passion for learning, equipping students with the essential skills for problem-solving, scientific inquiry, and effective communication skills. Beyond the confines of the classroom, Flocabulary extends the boundaries of learning, complementing field trips and hands-on experiments, and fostering a holistic understanding of scientific concepts. As we navigate the evolving landscape of teaching and learning STEM education, harness the power of Flocabulary to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators.

New to Flocabulary? Teachers can sign up for a trial to access our lesson videos and assessment activities. Administrators can get in touch with us to learn more about unlocking the full power of Flocabulary through Flocabulary Plus.